Some helpful safety tips to protect your baby or child inside and around the house. The best way to keep your child or baby safe is to try and see things from their perspective. They are at the stage where they want to explore the world, which they will do without awareness of danger. Try to avoid potential hazards by being one step ahead as they enter each new stage of development.
When your baby is small you need to supervise them constantly, even by taking them from room to room to keep them safe as you move around the house, but as they grow older and become more inquisitive you still need to be watchful, but can give them more breathing space as they learn some independence.
Some Safety Tips to Consider
- Stairs – many injuries inside your home takes place on or around stairs. Until your baby can climb stairs on their own, install fixed stair gates to close at the bottom and the top. Teach them to come down the stairs backwards. Never leave things on or near the stairs.
- Toys and playthings – a child can choke on a broken or deflated balloon. Check the size of the toys and make sure that no parts can be swallowed.
- Babies that starts to crawl and walk – Put covers on electrical sockets. Keep hot drinks out of their reach. As they start pulling them self up on furniture, be aware of flimsy side tables or shelves that may fall onto them.
- Swimming pool – If you have a swimming pool install a safety net or put a fence around the pool. The fence should never be horizontal, horizontal bars could become a ladder.
- Chemicals – Lock away all chemicals, acids, drain cleaners and pool products.
- Medicines – Put this high and out of reach or even better, put this in a place where you can lock it away, like a cupboard or a medicine case that you can lock.
- Fire starters – Anything that can start a fire should be out of reach for children, things like matches, lighters and firelighters.
- Gas – If you have gas appliances, be extra careful. Always make sure that the gas is turned off and keep your child away from this. Consider installing a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm.
- The Kitchen – When cooking turn pan handles to the back, this will prevent them from pulling it off the stove and onto them self. When you are busy in the kitchen you could easily be distracted and forget about your child, so put them in playpen or highchair. Always use a safety harness when your child is sitting in it, never leave them unsupervised when they eat in case they choke.
- The Bathroom – Many babies and children are fascinated by water and bath time is enjoyable, but bathrooms can be dangerous and drowning in particular is an obvious risk.
- The bedroom – Your baby or child will spend a lot of time here, so you need to be comfortable leaving them there and be confident that it is as safe as you can make it.
- Visiting other people/friends – Be wary around pets, ask to close doors or windows that may lead to somewhere that is unsafe, take some toys with you to keep your child out of mischief, and scan the room for potential hazards and be alert at all times.
And obviously there are many more, bottom line be vigilant and try to keep your baby or child safe, their safety is in your hands.
If you can add to the list feel free to leave a comment and we will add it, like I said there are so many things to be wary of and you can’t be “too safe” when it comes to your baby or child.
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